Episode 1
This humble being is a Jiryong (地龍), an earth dragon, residing in this sacred mountain.
Long before a king, founder of this nation, transformed into a Haeryong (海龍) to defend against the pirates from across the sea; long before a purple Toryong (土龍) coupled with a human woman to bring forth a hero destined to birth a new kingdom; I have dwelled upon this mountain, accepting offerings from the common folk who believed in my divine power.
I diligently tilled the land, breaking up clods of earth and enriching the soil with my essence, in response to their heartfelt prayers for a bountiful harvest.
Therefore, wouldn’t it be fair to say that the prosperity of this land stemmed solely from my power?
However, this era was short-lived. Various foreign religions, disguised in human form, infiltrated our land. The common folk, while sustained by the fertile soil I had prepared for them, gradually forgot their native deity, me, and turned their clasped hands towards these new gods.
Throughout this time, I remained underground, patiently waiting for them to remember me.
Meanwhile, the shrine dedicated to me crumbled, and the banners faded. As I waited, they gradually forgot the art of tilling the land with a rake.
They began to cover the earth with a substance harder than stone, suffocating the land beneath. The earth began to rot from within.
My kin could no longer breathe freely underground, and those who ventured out to mate during the rainy season never returned.
Despite it all, I continued to writhe, attempting to create breathing holes in the earth.
But all was in vain.
“Ascend to the heavens with me.”
Didn’t my friend, who had ascended to the heavens long ago, say the same?
“Stop giving your affection to humans.”
He, once a serpent aspiring to become a dragon, advised me before his ascension.
“Those black-haired beasts, with their fleeting lifespans of a mere century, are unworthy of your compassion.”
It seemed everyone shared the same sentiment. While I remained buried underground, most of the dragons in this world ascended to the heavens on clouds.
“Is it not natural that you, and not they, will be the one to suffer?”
Yet, I waited.
I waited for someone to remember me.
Even though humanity had not only forgotten our sacredness but also desecrated the world in which dragons dwelled, I remained unable to ascend to the heavens, as if tethered by an invisible force.
No, I was incapable.
In the meantime, this world overflowed with humans and the waste they produced. I could no longer bear the cacophony above.
Alright, let it go.
This land was once filled with affection. Truthfully, I could have lived without their offerings.
But now, it was time to leave. No, perhaps it was already too late.
Choosing a night of rain, when the earth would be soft and pliable, I stretched my long, dormant body. I decided to seize the opportune moment and surge forth from the earth.
‘I cannot wait any longer.’
I knew what fate awaited a land abandoned by its deity.
However, among those who cultivated this land for sustenance, none remained who knew of me. They had long forgotten my divine power.
‘If they have forgotten me… then farewell.’
Amidst the midnight rain, I burrowed through the earth and emerged, my massive head breaking through the surface. Raindrops cascaded upon my head in a torrential downpour.
Lightning flashed, and thunder roared. It was an auspicious night for ascension.
Rooooaaaaar!
With a mighty roar, I raised my head.
And then it happened.
“Aaargh!”
A scream pierced the night, and a blinding light shone upon my head.
I turned my head towards the source. A human stood there, eyes wide with terror.
‘Oh no!’
How could I have anticipated that someone would venture up this treacherous mountain to this secluded cave in the dead of night?
‘This can’t be happening!’
Before the human could utter another word, I attempted to launch myself skyward, extending my coiled body.
If I heard “that word” before my ascension, it would be the end. Millennia of cultivation would be rendered meaningless.
“Gi-Giant!”
But the human’s words were quicker than my ascent.
“Giant earthworm!”
His words enraged me.
‘How dare he refer to this majestic being as such!’
Let me reiterate, this being is a Jiryong, a sacred earth dragon, residing in this hallowed land.
‘Of course, at first glance, one might mistake me for something else!’
Admittedly, with my smooth, sleek body and rounded head, I could be mistaken for a gigantic earthworm by human eyes. But this is understandable, considering that most subterranean creatures lack or have underdeveloped eyes.
I am undeniably a dragon.
A dragon!
A dragon, I say!
However, human words possess a peculiar power, and upon hearing them, I felt defiled, as if I had been spat upon.
A defiled creature, regardless of its nature, cannot ascend to the heavens. Is it called a “dorumuk” in human tongue? Until the defilement is cleansed, one must “return” to the beginning of their cultivation.
Screeeeech!
I opened my mouth wide and let out a shriek.
‘Oh no! If it weren’t for that human!’
But the defilement, once inflicted, was irreversible, and as he had declared, my body rapidly shrunk.
And I became an earthworm.
‘What have I done to deserve this! Waaaaah!’
I had lost all the divine power I had accumulated over countless years by granting human wishes.
Eeeeeeek!
I plummeted downwards.
If only I had fallen to the earth, where I could have resumed my long and arduous cultivation.
Thud.
Instead, I landed in the outstretched hands of that accursed human, marking the beginning of this ill-fated day.
Overwhelmed by the physical and emotional shock of my fall from grace, I wriggled helplessly within his grasp.
“…”
The human, clad in a raincoat, stared at me with his hands outstretched. A dazzling light emanated from his mouth.
‘It’s so bright!’
Regaining my senses, I raised my head and gazed at him with my blurry vision.
Chomp!
With all my might, I opened my mouth wide and bit down on his finger. He flinched, ever so slightly.
But could such a meager act appease my rage?
‘You scoundrel! You dare hold me responsible for your actions after reducing me to this state!’
‘Oh dear, I am doomed.’
Finally realizing my predicament, I began to wail uncontrollably.
‘Instead of ascending to the heavens, I have fallen into the clutches of a human! What cruel irony!’
***
- Jiryong (地龍): The first character “” (ji) means “earth” or “land”. So, Jiryong can be translated to “Earth Dragon” or “Land Dragon”.
- Haeryong (海龍): The first character “” (hae) means “sea” or “ocean”. So, Haeryong can be translated to “Sea Dragon” or “Ocean Dragon”.
- Toryong (土龍): The first character “” (to) means “soil” or “ground”. So, Toryong can be translated to “Soil Dragon” or “Ground Dragon”.